Let Love I Will Not

August 10, 2012

By Anonymous, New York, NY

Image Credit: Louisa L., Pleasanton, CA

The author's comments:

This was a call and response to a friend's poem. I can not post it on here because I do not have his permission and I wouldn't feel right doing that anyway. The majority of the stuff in this poem refer back to what he stated in his. My poem rebukes what he says (Even though his poem is so lovely and just beautiful.) Enjoy!

I can not say let love grow Because let love grow I will not I will let love bloom for my friends and family but not for the stranger down the block How can I say let love bloom when we don't even smile at the homeless man on the street? we give him our change but we don't offer our seat We don't even glance his way Out of mind, out of sight is the phrase But when the tables are turned and we no longer have a home, we wish we had spared him more than our pennies and dimes Then we wonder why the poor is so poor Because those that have the money don't want to give no more So tell me, how can I let love grow? How can I let love bloom or soar when the ones I adore are the ones on the floor? When the ones that I need are the ones in a casket? Maybe I should let love grow, but how will that keep money in my pocket? How can I feed myself with the emptiness that are words? How can I let love in when love is a 4 letter word thrown around and abused? A word used to replace deceit and get into some jeans? Love is a word used to break trust and hearts, to shatter our souls and blacken the love we had inside So no, I can not let love grow or soar or consume my heart, at least not without the right state of mind So I will cherish who I have, but keep my love on a leash Because no one is going to be the master of my heart but me So love I may let grow, but not without its thorns.

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